MOSCOW: A Russian-American journalist working for a U.S. government-funded media company has been detained in Russia and charged with failing to register as a foreign agent.
Alsu Kurmasheva, an editor at Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), was arrested and is currently being held in a temporary detention center. The Committee to Protect Journalists reported the incident, making Kurmasheva the second U.S. journalist to face detention in Russia this year, following Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich who was arrested on alleged spying charges in March.
Kurmasheva, who serves as an editor for RFE/RL’s Tatar-Bashkir service, found herself at the center of an alarming situation as she was led into an administrative building by Russian authorities, as seen in a video posted by Tatar-Inform. Accusations against Kurmasheva revolve around collecting information related to Russia’s military activities, with authorities claiming she intended to transmit this information to foreign sources.
Specifically, it is suggested that she received information about university teachers mobilized into the Russian army. The charge against her is failing to register as a foreign agent while collecting information on Russian military activities, an act authorities argue could be used against the security of the Russian Federation.
Journalist’s legal challenge
If convicted, Kurmasheva could face up to five years in prison, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. This development has raised concerns and attracted widespread attention, with calls for her immediate release.
Kurmasheva, who resides in Prague with her family, was detained at Kazan International Airport in Russia on June 2 while returning to the country for a family emergency, having traveled there on May 20. During her airport stop, her U.S. and Russian passports were confiscated, and she was subsequently fined for not registering her U.S. passport with Russian authorities.
The incident has drawn attention to the ongoing tensions between foreign media outlets and Russian authorities. RFE/RL itself was ordered to register as a foreign agent by Russian authorities in December 2017, leading to a case filed against Russia at the European Court of Human Rights in 2021, challenging the use of foreign agent laws that resulted in significant fines for the organization.
Kurmasheva’s work primarily focused on reporting about ethnic minority communities in Tatarstan and Bashkortostan in Russia. Her stories revolved around projects aimed at safeguarding and preserving the Tatar language and culture, all while these communities faced “increased pressure” from Russian authorities, according to her employer.
Analysts have pointed out the possibility that Moscow may be using detained Americans as bargaining chips, given the heightened tensions between the U.S. and Russia, particularly in the aftermath of Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine. Notably, several Americans imprisoned in Russia in recent years, including WNBA star Brittney Griner, have been exchanged for Russians incarcerated in the United States.
In response to Kurmasheva’s detention, Gulnoza Said, the Committee to Protect Journalists’ Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, emphasized that “Journalism is not a crime,” underscoring the importance of protecting independent reporting in a challenging environment.
Kurmasheva’s arrest comes seven months after the detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Yekaterinburg, Russia. He has been repeatedly brought before the courts and has unsuccessfully appealed his ongoing imprisonment. Gershkovich is accused of collecting information on the activities of a Russian military-industrial complex enterprise, allegedly acting on the instructions of the U.S. government. Both Gershkovich and the Wall Street Journal deny these allegations, and the U.S. government has declared his detention as wrongful. Court proceedings remain closed due to claims that the details of the case are classified, with Russian authorities yet to provide evidence supporting the espionage charges.
The detention of both Alsu Kurmasheva and Evan Gershkovich underscores the growing challenges faced by journalists in Russia and the broader concerns regarding press freedom and the treatment of foreign journalists within the country. The international community continues to closely monitor these cases, advocating for the release of detained journalists and the protection of their rights.
